The Newcastle University School of Medicine interview format

Newcastle University School of Medicine tells home applicants to its MBBS (A100 and A101) that the interview is normally a multiple mini interview (MMI) on campus. Its 2027 admissions policy says interviews generally take place between December and February, and you will receive an email inviting you. Applicants classed as international for fee purposes are generally interviewed by a panel of two interviewers, on campus or online.

The policy says MMI stations assess these categories with role play and interview questions, and each station is scored by an individual selector. In a panel interview the competencies are assessed by questions only. Newcastle does not publish the number or length of stations, so treat those as unknown until your invitation arrives.

Item	What Newcastle says
Format	MMI on campus for home applicants; two-person panel for international applicants (on campus or online)
Categories assessed (some of these)	Integrity, communication, empathy and self-awareness, motivation and commitment to be a doctor, compatibility with the MBBS programme, teamwork (including leadership), personal organisation, persistence and resilience
Interview window	Generally December to February
Number of stations and length	Not published
UCAT SJT	The Situational Judgement band is included in the "Interview" score, with the same weighting as one MMI station
Final score	Academic screen score and interview score weighted 50:50
Number interviewed	About 1,100 applicants for 2026 entry, with similar numbers expected
Typical offer	AAA; ABB for contextual and PARTNERS applicants

How Newcastle chooses who gets an interview

The apply page says UK home applications are scored out of 100 on two factors: your most recent achieved academic grades (out of 40, usually your best eight GCSEs, or A-level grades if you already have them) and your UCAT results (out of 60). Applicants with a Band 4 in Situational Judgement are not considered further. The highest-scoring applicants are invited. For international and A101 applicants, the academic scoring is based only on UCAT.

Work experience and "commitment to caring"

Newcastle has no specific work experience requirement, but says selectors look at interview for examples of how you have shown a commitment to caring. It names volunteering in a hospice, nursery or elderly care home as examples. The takeaway is to prepare specific stories of caring for or helping people, with what you did and what you learned, rather than a list of placements.

Widening participation

Newcastle describes contextual offers two grades below the typical offer for eligible applicants, and a supported entry programme called PARTNERS. The apply page says the offer still depends on UCAT and interview score, so contextual applicants prepare for the same interview.

How to prepare for the Newcastle interview

Learn the eight categories. The page says stations assess "some of" them, so write one real example for each, especially integrity and persistence and resilience.
Prepare for role play. The policy says stations use role play and interview questions, so practise a short role play with a friend.
Know which format applies to you. Home applicants should expect an MMI, while international applicants are generally interviewed by a panel of two.
Treat the SJT as part of your interview score. Revisit the values behind situational judgement, because the SJT band counts like one station.
Prepare caring stories. Have two or three specific examples of helping someone, with the outcome.

Newcastle practice questions (written by us, not Newcastle University)

Newcastle does not publish its stations. We wrote these around its eight categories. Spend about two minutes on each.

Describe a time you were honest when it would have been easier not to be.
You are on placement and a patient confides they are not taking their medication. What do you do?
Role-play: a friend tells you they are thinking of dropping out. Respond to them.
Tell us about a time you kept going when something was hard.
How would you organise your week if you had three deadlines and a placement?
A fellow student is rude to a patient when the patient cannot hear well. What do you do?
What is your biggest weakness and what are you doing about it?
Why is teamwork important in a hospital, and when have you led a team?
How should the NHS balance prevention against treating people who are already ill?
What do you think will be hardest about the MBBS and how will you cope?

For a wider set, see our practice questions with answers guide and our MMI practice and preparation guide.

A drill for competency-based stations

Write one example per competency on index cards and rehearse each in under two minutes.
Have a partner play a worried friend or relative and give you one role play with two follow-ups.
Run a six-question mini circuit with a one-minute pause between questions.
Record yourself on the integrity and persistence questions and cut any story that does not show your own actions.
Review one NHS news story and give a balanced view in two minutes.

If you don't have a practice partner, Confetto's AI mock interviews ask follow-up questions based on what you actually said and give rubric-based feedback afterward. The question bank has over 500 questions, and you can start with a 7-day free trial.

Newcastle interview FAQ

Is the Newcastle interview an MMI?

For home applicants, the policy says interviews generally take the form of MMIs on campus. International applicants are generally interviewed by a panel of two.

Is it on campus or online?

Home MMIs are on campus. International interviews can be on campus or online.

When are interviews?

Generally between December and February, with an email invitation.

What counts toward my final score?

The academic screen score and interview score are weighted 50:50. The UCAT SJT band is included in the interview score with the weighting of one MMI station.

Do I need work experience?

No specific requirement, but selectors look for examples of commitment to caring at interview.

How many are interviewed?

About 1,100 applicants for 2026 entry.

Applying to other northern English and Scottish schools too? See our guides to the University of Dundee School of Medicine, Hull York Medical School and Leeds School of Medicine interviews, or our medical school interview prep page.

Sources: Newcastle apply to medicine, MBBS admissions policy 2027 entry.

Confetto isn't affiliated with Newcastle University. Everything here about the school comes from its public admissions pages, checked in October 2026. Formats can change between cycles, so go by your invitation email.